Trout Stocking in Texas – They have Arrived!

If you’ve ever wanted to catch a rainbow trout this is your change. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has already started trout stocking in Texas for 2012. This colorful, hard-fighting and tasty fish can be caught at a pond near you very soon. TPWD reports that ponds and streams at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) received their first stocking of rainbow trout this past Tuesday.

About 1,100 rainbow trout were stocked in total. Most were put into the TFFC casting pond and the pond next to the Conservation Center, but other streams and ponds received fish as well. Trout were also placed in the Hill Country Stream exhibit in the Visitor Center for viewing only. Continue reading Trout Stocking in Texas – They have Arrived!

Black Bear Sightings Reported in Texas

The range of the black bear once blanketed the state of Texas. Though black bear numbers began declining over a century ago, those numbers are now on the rise according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). As the saying goes, “where there is smoke, there is fire.” Increased wildlife management by government officials and landowners as well as protection over the years have created a more hospitable climate for bears. If you judge by recent reported sightings, the black bear is making a significant comeback in Texas. However, public interest in an animal often has a way of fueling additional sightings, especially during poor visibility conditions.

This is true not only with bears, but many other elusive and intriguing animals, such as mountain lions or sharks. In other words, some of the bear reports in Texas could be false. But maintaining these bear sightings with confirmed kills and photos helps piece together the bear population in the Lone Star State. Continue reading Black Bear Sightings Reported in Texas

Wildlife Management on Private Lands: Evaluating Habitat Requirements

Landowners are increasingly interested in wildlife and habitat management for native plants and animals. This is good because private lands and plant communities are becoming more and more fragmented, making it difficult to meet all of the needs of an animal on a single property. There are three essential ingredients of good wildlife habitat, and without them, wildlife can not exist. Food, cover and water are essential for all wild animals.

Food for Wildlife – Landowners interested in habitat management should first examine the plants on their property. Pay particular attention to the amount and distribution of trees, crops, brush and grass. Plant composition and structure largely determines the types of animals that can live on a plot of land. Plants are producers, the bottom of the food pyramid, and are needed by consumers (animals). Plants are not only used for food, but as for cover. They are critically important. Continue reading Wildlife Management on Private Lands: Evaluating Habitat Requirements

Wildlife Exemption for Wildlife Management in Texas

Question: “We own 84 acres in Texas and are interested in wildlife management as well as acquiring a wildlife exemption. I’m meeting with a wildlife biologist next week to talk about our property as well as the neighboring 258 acres, which my relative owns. I was thinking that combining these two properties would give us about 350 acres under wildlife management. It’s not a ton, but we are interested in doing anything we can to help wildlife in our area. I figure it will not hurt the deer hunting either.

I know that it would be even better if we could get some additional neighboring landowners to co-op with us for wildlife management, but we will start with us. If we already have an ag exemption on our place can we still apply for the wildlife tax exemption as well? Can a landowner have only one of these exemptions a property or can you have both exemptions to get more of a tax break?” Continue reading Wildlife Exemption for Wildlife Management in Texas

Texas Alligator Hunting – Reduce Nuisance Gators!

The popularity of alligator hunting has taken off in the US recently because of television shows depicting wetland-loving folks catching and removing these over-sized reptiles. Alligators are cool, but not when they are causing problems. With Texas’ ever-expanding alligator population, that can be a full time job. Luckily there are folks that can help control nuisance gators. Texas is trying something new, too. Landowners will be able to contract directly with nuisance alligator hunters under new rules adopted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Over the past 20 years, once imperiled alligator population in Texas have rebounded spectacularly. Increased suburban, exurban, an industrial development in an adjacent to coastal counties, particularly along the mid- and upper coast, has resulted in increasing number of nuisance alligator complaints, especially in areas biologically characterized by diminishing or little to no habitat. The new protocol will authorize a permitted control hunter to contract directly with landowner or landowner’s agent (including a political subdivision, governmental entity, or property owner’s association) for a fee or other compensation for the removal of nuisance alligators. Continue reading Texas Alligator Hunting – Reduce Nuisance Gators!

Deer Hunting: Feeder Pen Size?

Question: “Needing some deer hunting advice. I’ve read that several hunters recommend a large round pen for spin cast feeders so the whitetail do not “trapped” and it keeps the corn in the pen and away from the feral hogs, but what about for a free -hoice protein feeder using 34-inch hog panel? It would seem that the low panels and no spinning would not require as large a feeder pen. I bought eight 16-foot hog panels, but that seems like more than may be necessary. Looking for some experience-based suggestions on deer feeder pen size. Thank you.”

Wildlife Management Pro: From my experience with deer hunting and feeder pens, if you have cattle on the place you hunt then the greater the distance between the edge of the feeder pen and the feeder the better off you will be. We use pens that are made of 10 16-foot by 34-inch hog panels with two t-posts per panel. If you have cattle on your deer lease then you might buy the 16-foot by 52-inch cattle panels and cut down a spot or two for easier deer access. The panels cost the same, or nearly, at most places as hog panels. You should be able to find these panels in the $20 range. Continue reading Deer Hunting: Feeder Pen Size?

Golden-Cheeked Warbler Population, Management in Texas

The little bird named the golden-cheeked warbler is well known in Central Texas. This endangered bird is the most famous of all the endangered species to call the Texas Hill Country home. Surveys conducted years ago estimated the golden-checked warbler population in Texas at 9,000 to 54,000 birds. This startling number increased habitat management activities for this depressed population, but now it seems there may be more than previously believed. Researchers from Texas A&M University say there could be many, many more than initially thought.

Source: “The researchers calculate the rangewide population of male warblers in Texas at a shade over 263,000. Previous surveys counted roughly 9,000 to 54,000 birds. The work will be published in the Journal of Wildlife Management; it was posted on the journal’s website earlier this year. Continue reading Golden-Cheeked Warbler Population, Management in Texas